A condensate tank is provided under the evaporator of a dehumidifier. In one prior art device, the condensate tank includes a float which is connected to one end of a lever. As the volume of the condensate increases, the float rises causing the opposite end of the lever to touch a switching member which turns off the device or signals an alarm. The lever moves about a pivot point which is mounted on a side wall of the dehumidifier.
In another prior art device, a belt is provided in a condensate tank. The belt runs between a pair of pulleys which are mounted vertically and spaced apart. A float is installed on one side of the belt with a lever installed on the opposite side of the belt. As the float approaches a higher point, the lever moves downward from the switching member thereby stopping the operation of the dehumidifier. These devices are illustrated in Japanese Laid-Open Patents No. 58-133540 (1983) and No. 58-158435 (1983).
Another prior art device includes a float mechanism which hingedly moves up and down as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,359.
One difficulty that sometimes occurs during the operation of a float in the condensate stored tank is that the movement of the float may not be accurate. That is, the above devices require a plurality of complex components, and the pivot for swinging the lever may become loose as a result of numerous operations of the float. In addition, the float can be moved to touch the switching member by a slight shaking motion of the device. Further, the switching member may malfunction causing the condensate to overflow.